Jill Heinerth rides across Canada for water conservation awareness

Canadian-born underwater explorer Jill Heinerth is famous for her daring diving exploits – she’s dived countless caves and even dived through icebergs. Now, she’s taking on a challenge of a different sort – but this one’s above ground and covers over 7,500 kilometers.

Jill and husband Robert will start cycling in early May from Vancouver, British Columbia, all the way to Newfoundland. The journey will take them approximately four months.

For Canadian Heinerth, it’s a life-long dream come true. “I have wanted to travel my entire country by bicycle since I was a young girl,” she says. “This trip fulfills a life's dream. I know it may be the hardest thing that I have ever done, and I really don't know if I am capable, but I am really excited about giving it my fullest energy!”

The biggest known challenge will be a couple of little hills known as the Rocky Mountains. “In the first week, we need to cross the Rockies with our bicycles and trailers filled with all of our camping equipment and supplies. It is a heavy load and there are big climbs. I hope we can do it!”

Along the way, the Suunto ambasssador and her husband will stop to educate people about water cleanliness and conservation. For them, it’s all about personal interaction. “Robert and I have discovered that we can make the biggest impact by meeting people peer to peer. When we are able to give presentations and speak informally with large and small groups, people remember.”

The challenging ride comes on the tails of success for her award-winning documentary, We Are Water, which explores the intricate and often overlooked ways in which clean water is essential to the health of the human race, blending incredible underwater cinematography with narrative storytelling to create a powerful, moving film.

“We are all building a movement; one that unites people in positive experiences in the outdoors – enjoying adventure, challenge and fostering a stewardship of our natural resources,” she adds.

For both the film and the ride, Heinerth is thankful for her many supporters. “I'm always grateful for the people and organizations that support the water conservation mission. Suunto has been a wonderful partner in our efforts, cheering us along and helping us raise funds to create the film.”

Mika Holappa, Director for the Suunto Dive Business Unit, says: “Suunto is proud to support Jill on this project, and we wish her the best of luck in this great adventure. As the leading dive computer and outdoor sports instrument brand, issues like water conservation and overall environmental awareness are close to our hearts.”

The ride, Heinerth hopes, will be followed up by a similar one across the USA.

Suunto was born in 1936 when Finnish orienteer and engineer Tuomas Vohlonen invented the mass production method for the liquid-filled compass. Since then, Suunto has been at the forefront of design and innovation for sports watches, dive computers and sports instruments used by adventurers all over the globe. From the highest mountains to the deepest oceans, Suunto physically and mentally equips outdoor adventurers to conquer new territory.

Suunto's headquarters and manufacturing plant is in Vantaa, Finland. Employing more than 400 people worldwide, Suunto products are sold in over 100 countries. The company is a subsidiary of Amer Sports Corporation along with its sister brands Salomon, Arc'teryx, Atomic, Wilson, Precor, Mavic and Nikita.